BLUR no. 51

October / November 2016

I admit that I’m very happy to see how many people are sending us photos and projects. In the beginning, when people still didn’t know our magazine, we had to seek out photographers we wanted to present. Occasionally, we still do this, of course, but only for the sake of creating greater diversity of work in our pages—but it happens far less than it used to.

But when it comes to individuals who send photos to our gallery, one thing completely fascinates me: Although we have always had clearly defined technical requirements, more than 50 percent of photographers ignore some, and sometimes most, of these demands.

Our submission form includes the following:

THE RULES

Choose up to 2 FILES for upload. Total submission size must be smaller than 10 MB.

The longer edge of the photo must be AT LEAST 1500PX LONG (for example, 1500px x1500px square, 800x1500px portrait or a 1500x500px panorama)

The photo must have at least 72 DPI of resolution

The photo must NOT be watermarked

The photo must NOT include a frame

Accepted file types are JPG, JPEG or PNG

ANY PHOTOS NOT MEETING THIS CRITERIA WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE DISREGARDED.

I must admit, I do not understand why people do not adhere to the set criteria. When they have already invested their time and effort into sending the photos, why not make an effort to do it right rather than be immediately disqualified.

Well, I felt the need to share this with you. And now I feel better. 🙂

JUSTIN BORUCKI

United States

Info

„Once I switched to digital, I never looked back to film. If I’m shooting film, it’s just because I miss using the camera. My favorite film cameras are my Hasselblad, Rollieflex 2.8E3, and Nikon F2. It’s not hard to decide between digital and wet plate on a job. It really depends on what the client wants and how fast they want it. Modern deadlines don’t really allow for film and almost never for wet plate, and it’s always a challenge and unique opportunity to use either for a gig. But when the choice is left up to me, it’s not unlike a carpenter choosing one tool over another. My cameras are tools, and I use whichever one gives me (and the client) the desired result.”

ALICJA BRODOWICZ

Poland

Info

„The series explores the mother and daughter relationship; it is about the physical and the emotional distance that increases as the child grows and gains independence. It is about the feeling of immense pride and also great pain.“

LUIZA BOLDEANU

Romania

Info

„A portrait is easy to make once we know composition, technique and editing. The challenge comes with the wish to attain an image that is able to wake up an emotion, a feeling, a condition. And the biggest challenge of all is to make a self-portrait. It’s a type of photography which allows you to know yourself and to reveal parts of you which you never knew that they were there… you will get to know most of you, most of your feelings and emotions.“

JANELLE PIETRZAK

United States

Info

„Welcome to the mysterious and whimsical world of photographer Janelle Pietrzak. A Colorado native, Janelle has a deep connection to the natural world and uses it to stage her mythological imagery. A land of re-imagined fairytales, her self-portraiture work breathes new life into old stories. Through photography and digital manipulation, Janelle has crafted an extraordinary and fantastical realm.“

ALYSON BELCHER

United States

Info

„The element of time in pinhole photography allows something to arise that might never be revealed by modern photographic technology. The long exposure times give me an opportunity to explore the space in front of the camera. I may have the impulse to move, or I may chose to remain still—although the body is never completely still, and even the smallest movements leave traces on the film.“

CHRIS KOVACS

Canada

Info

“‘Are we alone in the universe? This is a question that many have often wondered. But what if anything were possible? For example, if you can imagine it, then it must exist. Such as a multiverse or a parallel universe. These are the thoughts that have plagued my mind for many years”

POLLY CHANDLER

United States

Info

“The images within this body of work are a collection of photographic narratives based on my personal interpretations of the music and lyrics by the singer-song writer Tom Waits. Over the past many years I have endeavored on a project that filters and renders my experiences, emotions, and quest for purpose through my understanding of his music. It is often simply a single line from a song that will spark an idea.”

NOORA-MAIJA TOKEE

Finland

Info

“The forest answers in the same way one shouts at in is a story about Finnish nature found in forests. We are the voice of the forest and when the forest shouts, we need to respond. The forest is scary, comforting, magical, and powerful at the same time. The photographs in the series mix reality and dreams, link to the ancient myths related to the forest and modern, and at the same time the photographs reflect the relationship between man and nature.“

MILAN RACMOLNAR

Hungary

Info

„His latest series, entitled “Rome in infrared,” focuses on the visual perception of the infrared wavelength. He blends a subjective tourist perspective with the surreal attributes of the infrared seeing. In this way, he produces a candid picture of the city of Rome.“

DEBSUDDHA BANERJEE

India

Info

„Kolkata, West Bengal, India: A slum, near Dum Dum Park, Kolkata, and a massive fire has broken out on Saturday evening. Total area charred; more than 350 people have to spend the night homeless braving the December chill. The main cause was the leaking of liquefied petroleum gas from 14 cylinders that blew up in the fire. Fortunately, most people from the slum were outside the area at the time. But unfortunately, an elderly couple got charred in the accident. Their condition was so bad that their bodies were hard to rescue. Within half an hour, the fire had grown so large that more than nine fire engines were sent to battle the blaze.“

HEINZ INNERHOFER

Italy

Info

„Whoever wishes to experience the feeling of blissful spinning around, gyrating and the rest of the world disappearing outside Luna Park, just has to read Rilke‘s famous poem from 1906 aloud. The carrousel is also known in the interpretation of dreams. It symbolizes memories of childhood and youth and expresses our longing for jollity, zest for life, and easiness. To Margit Ramus, it stands for much more: ‘Just like life itself, the merry-go-round goes in circles. Isn’t it nice if you find your track in life and follow it until things merge and you have happily achieved your goals.’“

JENNA BECK

Canada

Info

„This moody set is meant to intrigue and tickle the creative senses. Here we are, to show you the beauty in the mundane. Imagine yourself waiting, impatiently, for the one person you’re meant to tackle the world with. But in passing all that time, you only seem to tempt those who are drawn to your rebellious nature. When will someone get to know the real you, under the front, beneath the dark makeup and attitude? Maybe tomorrow…“